You are invited!
You deserve a thrilling music-making opportunity. On Saturday, November 2 you can sing with Great Plains Harmony and create enthralling four-part harmony in the barbershop style.
In celebration of our 74th anniversary, we are assembling a 74-voice Festival Chorus. Participation is easy. Send us your contact information and we will email you sheet music and part-predominant learning tracks to help you learn the three songs in advance.
The performance of these three songs will be the Grand Finale of our Fun In Just One Lifetime show performed at First Lutheran Church’s Celebration Center in downtown Fargo.
Who can participate?
You can! Perhaps you sang in high school, college, or church choir; or maybe you play an instrument or are a karaoke enthusiast. Singers of all ability levels are welcome to join us. Sight reading is not a requirement. Great Plains Harmony is a men’s chorus and participants must sing in the tenor, baritone, and bass ranges.
What does it cost?
There are some expenses we need to help cover to produce this Festival Chorus. We are requesting $15 per singer to help cover our music, learning track, and venue expenses. If that is a deal breaker, please let us know as we have some scholarship dollars for younger singers!
Here is my info for participation
What can you expect?
After you send us your contact information, we will email you sheet music and part-predominant learning tracks you can download or play online.
We ask that you learn our three Festival Chorus songs in advance as our rehearsal time will be limited. The songs do not need to be memorized.
Our goal for this event is provide an opportunity for 74 singers to gather, have fun, and make music. Though we ask you to learn your music before arriving, the time commitment is low, and the musical fellowship is high!
Schedule: Saturday, November 2, First Lutheran Church (619 Broadway N, Fargo)
- 10:00 AM Registration
- 10:30 AM On stage rehearsal
- 12:15 PM Enjoy lunch on your own in one of downtown Fargo’s fabulous restaurants
- 2:00 PM Doors open for our Fun In Just One Lifetime show
- 2:30 PM Concert begins! Attend the concert featuring Great Plains Harmony and guest quartet Coulee Classic.
- 3:45 PM Gather on stage with the other 73 members of the Festival Chorus for our Grand Finale!
- 4:10 PM Concert ends. Greet your fanbase!
Who is our director?
Mark McLaurin has been directing both men’s and women’s choruses for decades and is a frequent guest conductor and coach for choruses in the upper Midwest. He has competed in numerous International Barbershop Harmony contests as both a chorus member and baritone of championship quartet, "The People’s Choice." He received his Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Minnesota.
Mark is an educator at heart and his friendly approach will make you feel welcome as you join us to make music together.
Where can I stay when I come to town?
For those traveling from out of town, there are accommodations within walking distance of our performance venue. Please consider these options:
Located in the heart of downtown just four blocks from our venue, this boutique hotel has an elegant bar/restaurant and rooms on floors 8-13 provide dramatic views of the city. If you are travelling with your significant other this is our recommendation.
Located downtown, this elegant hotel is just five blocks from our venue.
Looking for an experience you won’t forget! Consider the brand new Brewhalla located 1.5 miles from our venue. Combine a micro-brewery, with a boutique mall, with a hotel and you get Brewhalla!
The Fargo Moorhead community has dozens of hotel options for all budgets.
It gets better! The celebration continues after our show!
Great Plains Harmony loves our hobby of singing, fellowship, and community. Following our show, at 5:30 p.m. the (optional) afterglow party moves three blocks south to our private party room above Sidestreet Grille & Pub. You and your friends are invited to join us for food, beverage, and performances by regional quartets and vocal groups – including more tunes by our international competing quartet Coulee Classic. If your group is interested in singing, contact us via email [email protected].
The atmosphere is casual, the drinks will be cold, the food will be hot, and you may get invited to sing a tag with some of our members. The cost to attend the Afterglow Bash is only $TBD.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which voice part should I sing?
- Tenor I – In the barbershop style, the first tenor part harmonizes above the melody (tenor II) line. It is typically sung in falsetto or head voice.
- Tenor II – This is most often the melody line of the song.
- Baritone – This part requires a solid musician who can tune the color notes of the chord.
- Bass – As you might expect, this is the lowest voice part.
The Tenor and Lead parts are sung an octave lower than shown here.
What is the performance attire?
Please wear a white, blue, or black shirt that fits your style.
Who do I contact if I have additional questions?
Feel free to email [email protected].
